Knowledge is power. Enjoy our free whitepapers.

Developing a Food Safety Plan Under FSMA

Many companies have been busy putting in place their PCP Plans to meet the requirements of FSMA. The complexity of this legislation is significant with many conditions attached to the plan beyond what we are used to with HACCP. To help in the review or development of the plan we have put together this structured whitepaper guide. Read preview..

Validation of Cleaning Programs

Validation of Cleaning Programs is now a mandatory requirement under most GFSI food safety standards. We’ve compiled everything you need to know to keep your external auditors more than happy. Read preview..

This whitepaper is accompanied by a Capability Study template in our tools section.

Creating Your Corporate Vision for Food Safety Compliance

What is your vision for food safety in your organization? How is the food safety landscape going to look like in the next five to ten years? Do you know how to manage the change that is required to future-proof your business? This high-level strategic publication answers these questions and more. You will learn about current trends and areas of change, you will learn about 5 elements that you should incorporate in your corporate vision for food safety and you will get tangible advice on how to manage the change. Read preview..

Managing Non-conformance Categories

Every day, food companies collect data on non-conformances within their operations but this valuable information can often be lost in paper piles and poorly designed systems that have been devised for analysing the data. In this whitepaper we will take a closer look at what exactly is a non-conformance, why we need to record them in the first place and how to design the systems that will facilitate effective analysis and improvement in your business. Finally, we will provide tips on how to set up your non-conformance categories in Safefood 360º. Read preview..

Determining control measures in HACCP

This white paper is essential for any food safety manager who is responsible for risk assessment and determination of control measures within a HACCP plan. The white paper will demystify much of the language and complex logic normally associated with risk assessment models and decision trees, which prevent many food companies from obtaining their objective of producing robust HACCP plans. Read preview..

Thermal Processing of Food

The use of high temperatures to preserve and ensure the safety of food is based on the effect of microbial destruction. Thermal processing is one of the most widely used unit operations employed in the food industry and is frequently determined as a Critical Control Point (CCP). An understanding of the principles behind thermal processing is vital for same food production where it is employed. This whitepaper covers the main science behind the unit operation and should be used to underpin the development and design of thermal processing steps. Read preview..

Water Activity in Foods

Water is the most abundant constituent of food and in terms of food safety the most significant. Its presence, quantity and nature determines many chemical and biochemical processes important for the control of product safety and quality. In many HACCP plans, water is frequently referred to as an intrinsic parameter required in product safety and while we most of us understand its importance we often fail to understand the reasons why. This whitepaper will give you a better understanding of water and in particular water activity aw, and it can assist you in developing robust and scientifically supported food safety plans. Read preview..

Developing a HACCP Plan

HACCP is the most widely used risk based tool for developing food safety management programs. Its principles require the user to identify potential hazards relating to a specific product or process, to determine the risk of these hazards impacting on consumers and where critical to put in place monitoring and control procedures. Developing an effective HACCP plan requires a clear understanding of the principles and specific steps involved in a HACCP study. This white paper covers in detail these requirements and illustrates how the user can build a plan capable of identifying and controlling food safety hazards relevant to your products and processes. The methodology covered in this whitepaper is based on the Codex Alimentarius Commission guidelines which is cited in most food safety standards. Read preview..

The Application of IT Solutions in Food Safety Management

Changes in European and American food safety legislation, high impact food safety events, and the globalization of the food supply chain have been strong drivers of change in how companies approach food safety. This whitepaper examines the major changes in our industry and maps out ways IT solutions can be applied to address these challenges. Techonological solutions can boost productivity and improve safety, but only if executed correctly, which is why we lay out a set of principles upon which good technological solutions can be built. Read preview..

Food Innovation and Creativity

This whitepaper introduces the techniques and tools required to manage the creativity process involved in new food product development and innovation. It focuses on how new ideas and concepts are generated, managed and selected. Read preview..

Managing Food Innovation

Effective management and planning of the innovation process reduces the risk of failure, cuts development costs, reduces the time from concept to market, increases ROI and customer satisfaction. This whitepaper covers best practice project management tools and techniques required for effective innovation management. Read preview..

Short Introduction to Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by fungi or molds. They are associated with food poisoning outbreaks and can have significant adverse impacts on human health when consumed in small and large does. This short paper supplements our series of whitepapers on chemical hazards, and provides basic technical data on mycotoxins and aflatoxins that can be used to support local HACCP plans. Read preview..

Chemical Hazards in Food Safety

Chemical hazards are associated with a significant number of high profile food safety alerts, recalls and withdrawals. The principles of HACCP require chemical hazards to be considered during the hazard identification and risk assessment stage and appropriate controls put in place to reduce their potential to occur and create an impact. This whitepaper explores basics of chemical hazards and explains how toxins work in the human body. Control measures and risk assessment are also covered as well as some of the most common sources of chemical hazard data. Read preview..

Food Safety Auditing – Principles and Practice

Auditing has emerged as one of the most utilized tools for ensuring food safety systems and programs are both compliant and effective. Internal auditing has traditionally been a key element of most food safety standards, however in recent years we have seen an explosion in both second party and third party auditing within the global food sector. In this whitepaper we will cover both the general principles of good food safety auditing and the specific practices normally employed by companies, certification bodies and regulatory authorities. Read preview..

Microbiological Aspects of Food Preservation and Safety Methods

Microbiological hazards are one of the most significant causes of food poisoning. An understanding of these hazards is crucial to understanding how suitable controls may be applied. This whitepaper is the latest in our series covering the microbiological aspects of food safety control. Specifically, we address the microbiological aspects of food preservation. The most commonly used preservation methods found in the food industry are explained and are clearly defined, including mode of action, preservation factors and unit processes. Read preview..

Basic Microbiology for Food Safety Managers

Food borne micro-organisms are the most significant cause of food illnesses among the public. The food industry is charged with the legal and commercial obligation to ensure the risks associated with these hazards are maintained at an acceptable level. In order to do this a solid understanding of the nature and character of food microorganisms is essential. This whitepaper covers the basic knowledge required to understand these hazards and in turn support more effective hazard identification and risk assessment for food safety controls. Read preview..

Design of CCP Monitoring Programs

The Critical Control Point (CCP) retains a special and important place in the monitoring and control of food safety. They are the output of an assessment relating to a specific food process and ensure significant hazards requiring management are effectively monitored and controlled when a deviation is detected. Proper design of CCP monitoring programs is an essential element of an effective food safety management system. This whitepaper covers the main considerations and elements of a well-designed CCP monitoring program. Read preview..

Metal Detection

Metal contamination represents one of the most common forms of foreign body contamination in food products. In order to reduce the occurrence of metal as a hazard various control measures need to be implemented including investment in metal detection systems. This whitepaper explains the reasons for metal detection in food production processes, the main sources of metal contamination, elements of a metal detection system, types of metal detection, metal detection programs and factors that affect metal detection. Read preview..

Glass & Hard Plastic Control

Foreign body hazards represent one of the most significant risks associated with the production and distribution of food products. Among these, glass and hard plastic are the most significant given their wide spread use in food production equipment, environments and utensils. In order to mitigate against product contamination the food site must have in place effective procedures to eliminate or reduce so far as practically possible the likely occurrence of these hazards. In addition, the food plant should have in place a full risk assessment and clear policy for the control of glass and hard plastic. Read preview..

Complaints Handling under GFSI

Complaints represent one of the most important information sources for any food safety management system. They provide a food business with the opportunity to identify emerging or existing problems and take actions early to prevent a crisis. This whitepaper covers the essential elements of an effective complaints handling procedure as required under the GFSI and retailers’ technical standards. It sets out best practice with practical examples of how the requirements can be met. Read preview..

Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA) in Food Processing

Microbiological risk assessment (MRA) is one of the most important tools in food safety management. It provides a structured way of identifying and assessing microbiological risks in food but can be a challenge for those responsible for food safety in a processing environment. This whitepaper provides an overview of the main steps in MRA and practical tools for conducting each step. These can be used by practitioners to improve the quality of local HACCP plans and improve overall food safety. Read preview..

Cleaning and Disinfection in Food Processing Operations

Those responsible for the management of cleaning and disinfection in a food processing operation often do not fully understand the reasons for plant hygiene or the scientific principles and technology behind effective cleaning. This is essential in order to comply with legal and technical standards and ensure food hazards are controlled. This whitepaper deals with the essential knowledge required for effective cleaning programs within a food processing operation including reasons for cleaning, the chemistry, principles of disinfection, equipment and methods, GFSI requirements and monitoring of hygiene. Read preview..